Sometimes childhood rhabdomyosarcoma continues to grow or comes back after treatment.

Progressive rhabdomyosarcoma is cancer that continues to grow, spread, or get worse. Progressive disease may be a sign that the cancer has become refractory to treatment.

Recurrent childhood rhabdomyosarcoma is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the same place or in other parts of the body, such as the lung, bone, or bone marrow. Less often, rhabdomyosarcoma may come back in the breast in adolescent females or in the liver.